Pacifier

ABSTRACT

A pacifier is provided having two nipples supported on opposite ends of a supporting shank. One nipple serves as a handle when the other is in the infants mouth. Retaining discs hold the nipples secured to the shank.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Sharon A. Seidl 72] Inventor 149 Garbo Ave., SI. Paul, Minn. S5119 800,128

[21] App]. No. [22] Filed 2,717,603 2,889,829 6/1959 Tannenbaum etal...t....

Feb. 18, 1969 [45] Patented Aug.24, 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS 1892 GreatBritain...i............ 9/1967 France.......................

Primary Examiner-Channing L. Pace Attorney-Robert M. Dunning [54] PACIFIER 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S. C1.....

ABSTRACT: A pacifier is provided having two nipples supported on opposite ends of a supporting shank. One nipple serves as a handle when the other is in the infants mouth. Retaining discs hold the nipples secured to the shank.

0 m B7 n1 1 6 A f o H. k F 1 o 5 PATENTED Aua24|sn 3,601,129

INVENTOR SHARON A. 55/01.

Mam

-- lfiTORNEY PACIFIER This invention relates to an improvement in pacifiers and deals particularly with a device used by very small children to keep them amused.

Pacifiers have been produced for a considerable number of years. These devices are usually in the form of nipple-shaped objects of rubber or plastic which are mounted in conjunction with a disclike support, and which usually include a ringshaped handle by means of which they may be supported. In many instances, the nipples are filled with a semisolid material which may be compressed when the mouth is closed. Pacifiers are often used near the end of the bottle feeding period to provide a sense of satisfaction to the infant at the time it is deprived of the feeding bottle. This is in answer to the suckling tendency some children have.

While devices of this type have been produced for many years, they are normally provided with ring-shaped handles so that they can be readily picked up. However, the handles are often pulled off or become loose, destroying the usefulness of the device, or requiring that they be temporarily put back together. I have found that the desirability of a device of the type in question can be greatly increased by providing a structure in which a separate nipple is provided on each end of the body, and preferably including a pair of encircling discs in spaced relation. With this arrangement, one of the nipplelike ends forms a handle while the opposite end is being placed in the mouth. As a result, the life of the device is usually more than doubled in view of the fact that the ring-shaped handle is usually the most fragile part of the pacifier, and it is usually this handle which fails.

Also, with this arrangement, either end of the pacifier may be placed in the mouth, and the device thus provided is much simpler for the infant to learn to use.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a pacifier which includes a central shank, both ends of which are of identical form, and in providing a similar nipple at each end of the shank. Each nipple is held in place by means of an apertured disc which is of sufficient size to prevent the pacifier from being accidentally swallowed. The discs serve the additional purpose of holding the nipples in place upon the shank. One nipple serves as a handle, while the other is inserted in the mouth, simplifying the operation of the device.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a durable device of particular appeal to infants. Obviously, the present device is designed for children of very early age. When the nipple is on both ends of the pacifier, there is no chance that the child will grasp the nipple and insert a ring-shaped handle in the mouth. In other words, by making the device reversible, many elementary, but important problems are solved.

Another feature of the invention resides in the fact that the device is readily replaceable. If a plastic ring is broken from the pacifier, the device immediately loses its operativeness. On the other hand, if a nipple is pulled from the present device, it may be readily replaced. The shank which supports the nipples is strong and rigid and will be little affected by any tendency for the more fragile elements of the device to break.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pacifier, showing the general arrangement of parts therein.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the device, showing the general arrangement thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through a slightly modified form of construction.

The pacifier is indicated in general by the letter A. As is indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, a shank is provided having a central peripheral flange 11, and having reduced diameter portions 12 on opposite sides of the central flange l1. Tapered end portions 13 are provided on opposite sides of the reduced diameter portions 12, the extremities of theportions 13 being of relatively small diameter to facilitate the mounting of the nipples l4 thereupon. The nipples 14 are of the same general size and shape as those used on conventional nursing bottles, but are imperforate. If desired, the nipples 14 may be filled with a semisolid material such as a gellike substance which permits the nipples to be compressed to some extent, but which permit the nipples to collapse to some extent to exercise the mouths of the infants. The device is designed to satisfy the suckling instincts of some infants. In view of the fact that such material has been previously used, the nature of the material employed is not described. Obviously, however, the

material is nontoxic and would not be harmful in the event either of the nipples became ruptured.

The nipples 14 are held in place by apertured discs 15 of plastic or other suitable material which must be forced over the large diameter ends of the tapered portions 13 and which tightly encircles the nipples near the ends thereof. The open ends of the nipples are ring-shaped members 16 which engage against the central collar 11, and which cannot pass through the central apertures 17 of the discs 15. The arrangement is such that once the discs 15 have been forced into place, it is very difiicult for the nipples 14 to be disengaged from the central shank 10.

The modified form of pacifier B which is indicated in FIG. 3

of the drawings, is very similar to that previously described.

The shank 20 of the pacifier B includes a central enlarged I diameter ring portion 21, and the shank is provided with reduced diameter portions 22 on either side of the central ring. Tapered ends 23 are provided at opposite ends of the shank 20, and are similar to the tapered end portions 13 of the previously described shank 10. The only difference in the two constructions lies in the fact that the two nipples 24 are somewhat closer together at their open ends, the nipples being identical to the nipples 14 previously described, and including ring-shaped reinforcing ends 25 which encircle the shank 20 and extend into virtual contact at the center of the shank.

As in the previous construction, discs 26 are forced over the tapered ends 23 of the shank 20 and encircle the portions of the nipples which lie outwardly of the reduced diameter portions 22 of the shank. As previously described, the nipples 24 may be filled with a harmless semisolid gellike material which is somewhat compressible and which serves as a means of strengthening the mouth of the infant.

The arrangement is such that one of the nipples serves as a handle for the device while the opposite nipple is in the mouth of the infant. As a result, either end of the pacifier may be inserted in the mouth while the other end is being held by the infant. The pacifier may accordingly function for a considerably longer time than the usual device of this type, and from a practical standpoint, the device may be produced at approximately the same cost as a structure including the usual ring-shaped handle attached to the shank. Due to the fact that either end of the device serves the same purpose as the opposite end, the pacifier is usually somewhat easier to use than the customary device of this type.

I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in pacifier, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 1. A pacifier including: a solid shank of circular cross section throughout its length, a central peripheral flange encircling said shank intermediate the ends thereof,

reduced diameter portions peripheral flange,

tapered end portions on said shank having a relatively larger diameter portion and a smaller diameter portion, the smaller diameter ends being outermost, and the larger diameter ends being of greater diameter than the reduced diameter portions of said shank,

on both sides of said central portions of said shank outwardly of said reinforcing means, the thickness of the reinforcing means and discs being substantially equal to the lengths of said reduced diameter portions. 

1. A pacifier including: a solid shank of circular cross section throughout its length, a central peripheral flange encircling said shank intermediate the ends thereof, reduced diameter portions on both sides of said central peripheral flange, tapered end portions on said shank having a relatively larger diameter portion and a smaller diameter portion, the smaller diameter ends being outermost, and the larger diameter ends being of greater diameter than the reduced diameter portions of said shank, a pair of resilient nipples having open ends including ringshaped reinforcing means, said reinforcing means engaging opposite sides of said central peripheral flange and encircling said reduced diameter portions, a pair of discs each having a central aperture diameter than said reinforcing means encircling said reduced diameter portions of said shank outwardly of said reinforcing means, the thickness of the reinforcing means and discs being substantially equal to the lengths of said reduced diameter portions. 